A 52-year-old former Army officer suffering from psychological disorder was lynched to death on the outskirts of the city on Friday morning. The incident took place at Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas. The deceased, Jayanta Sarkar, had been a major in the Indian Army.
At around 8.30 am, a local girl came to fetch water at the community tap near his house on Dharmatolla Road at Nungi. Sarkar allegedly slapped and abused her. On her complaint, the locals gave him a brutal thrashing with iron rods and sticks, leading to his death. Sarkar was rushed to the ESI Hospital, Budge Budge where he was pronounced dead.
“His family told us that Sarkar was undergoing treatment at home for psychological disorder which had cost him his job recently,” a senior officer of the Mahestala police station. He added, “But his neighbours said that he used to throw tantrums, right from torching one his neighbours’ house to bursting fire-crackers to celebrate the death of his neighbour. Friday’s incident was the outburst of his neighbours’ long pent-up anger.”
Unable to bear his abnormal behaviour, his wife and daughter were staying separately, the police also learnt. The body was sent for post mortem and a murder case was started. The police is now in search of the accused who lynched Sarkar despite knowing about his mental state.